Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been arrested for the contravention of local bylaws prohibiting the consumption of alcohol in public places in each police force area in each year since 1999 and, of these, how many have been convicted.

Hugh Henry: The available information is shown in the tables. Statistics dealing with recorded crime and court proceedings are not directly comparable as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime involving more than one victim, while a crime may be recorded in one year and proceedings taken in a subsequent year. Charges recorded by the police may also be altered as a result of the judicial process.

  Number of Offences Recorded of Consumption of Alcohol in Designated Places, 1999-2003

  

Police Force Area
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Central
180
371
576
366
318


Dumfries and Galloway
-
3
9
12
24


Fife1
134
253
411
406
305


Grampian
16
0
0
47
149


Lothian and Borders
54
55
197
100
111


Northern
42
27
154
259
118


Strathclyde
7,534
9,748
13,158
15,913
19,592


Tayside
101
133
151
144
290


Scotland
8,061
10,590
14,656
17,247
20,907



  Note: Byelaws restricting the consumption of alcohol in designated places were first introduced to parts of Fife in November 1997. Coverage was extended in November 1999 and again in July 2004.

  Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Contravention of Local Byelaws on Consumption of Alcohol in Public Places1, 1999-2002

  

Police Force Area
1999
2000
2001
2002


Central
7
22
36
64


Dumfries and Galloway
-
-
-
5


Fife
17
5
6
6


Grampian
3
4
2
2


Lothian and Borders
10
11
9
9


Northern
2
1
44
75


Strathclyde
1,242
872
1,219
1,089


Tayside
27
48
38
33


Scotland
1,308
963
1,354
1,283



  Note: Where main offence.

Alcohol Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many detoxification beds for alcohol misusers are available in each NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not collected centrally at present. Information on numbers of clients attending residential and non-residential alcohol services is being returned for the first time by Alcohol and Drug Action Teams as part of 2003-04 reporting arrangements, and is expected to be available by the end of August.

Birds

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the award of a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union’s Birds Directive.

Allan Wilson: Article 9 of the Council Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) "the Birds Directive" is transposed into UK legislation by Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In accordance with the Birds Directive, licences can be granted for specified purposes only if there is no other satisfactory solution.

Birds

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it awards compensation to applicants who later suffer financial loss as a result of a decision not to award a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union’s Birds Directive.

Allan Wilson: No.

Birds

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much experience in wildlife management, horticulture, animal husbandry and predation is required of persons assessing whether to award a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union’s Birds Directive.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is legally bound to consult with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on all licence applications. SNH has experience and expertise in habitats and species management and in advising the Executive on a wide range of matters involving land use and management considerations.

Communities

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to include home zones in new developments and establish them in existing communities.

Nicol Stephen: Consultative guidance providing practical advice to local authorities and other practitioners on setting up home zones was published by the Executive in 2002. Final guidance will be produced in due course reflecting experience of the pilot schemes currently underway.

  The Executive hosted a conference in February 2004 to promote home zones to people involved in designing, building and improving new housing developments.

  A new planning advice note (PAN) on residential streets is in preparation. It will encourage home zones as good practice and include them as a case study. The PAN will be finalised in the autumn and sent to all local authorities.

  Funding of £27 million over the period 2003-04 to 2005-06 has been made available by the Executive to local authorities for 20mph schemes around schools and related safety projects including the development of home zones. Local authorities can also support the provision of home zones from the dedicated funding, currently £8.2 million per annum, for cycling, walking and safer streets projects.

Cremation

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish crematoria were involved in the monitoring by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that was carried out to establish mercury levels emitted into the atmosphere after cremation.

Allan Wilson: I am unaware of any work undertaken by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to establish mercury levels emitted into the atmosphere after cremation. However, AEA Technology, on behalf of the Federation of British Crematoria Authorities, published a report in 2001 detailing the results of emission monitoring tests at three UK crematoria. No Scottish crematoria were involved in this monitoring.

Cremation

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much mercury is normally present in ashes after cremation.

Allan Wilson: A report published by AEA Technology in 2001 indicated that virtually no mercury remains in the ashes after cremation.

Cremation

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is per crematorium of fitting mercury-scrubbing equipment to crematorium chimneys.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has estimated that the cost per crematorium of fitting mercury scrubbing equipment is approximately £250,000. This figure will vary according to the individual circumstances at each crematorium.

Disclosure Scotland

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average turnaround times for applications to Disclosure Scotland for (a) basic, (b) standard and (c) enhanced disclosures are currently and were in each of the last 12 months.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average time taken by Disclosure Scotland is to answer applications for disclosure checks.

Hugh Henry: The estimated average turnaround time for all levels of disclosures processed in the week ending 25 July 2004 was 11 calendar days.

  The times for the earlier periods are set out in the following table:

  

Month
Times in Calendar Days


Standard/Enhanced
Basic


July 2003
9
10


August 2003
12
12


September 2003
9
12


October 2003
15
13


November 2003
16
13


December 2003
17
15


January 2004
17
20


February 2004
23
24


March 2004
30
23


April 2004
13
17


May 2004
17
17


June 2004
13
13



  In all cases, the turnaround times given apply to applications which did not require the correction of errors in the application form, clearance of payment arrangements or enquiries to police forces for any relevant non-conviction information. Applications requiring correction, etc took longer to process.

Disclosure Scotland

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were to Disclosure Scotland for (a) basic, (b) standard and (c) enhanced disclosures in each year since its establishment and in each of the last 12 months.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  

Period/Month 
Number of Applications
Period/Month
Number of Applications


Basic
Standard
Enhanced


April 2002 to Mar 2003
2,191
20,871
115,558


April 2003 to Mar 2004
178,818
29,758
187,162


July 2003
9,326
1,961
12,765


August 2003
13,534
1,785
12,794


September 2003
13,368
2,219
16,688


October 2003
14,565
2,824
19,887


November 2003
16,478
2,815
22,714


December 2003
24,978
1,843
18,087


January 2004
45,558
896
8,818


February 2004
40,689
1,329
13,852


March 2004
24,449
2,229
18,493


April 2004
19,220
1,813
14,055


May 2004
14,621
1,639
15,979


June 2004
11,156
1,786
17,755



  The figures relate to valid applications and exclude those returned to applicants as a consequence of errors identified during initial checks.

Disclosure Scotland

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of applications to Disclosure Scotland has fallen outwith the turnaround times stipulated by each service agreement for (a) basic, (b) standard and (c) enhanced disclosures in each year since its establishment and in each of the last six months.

Hugh Henry: The service level agreement (SLA) for standard and enhanced applications is to deal with 90% in 14 calendar days and for basic applications it is to deal with 90% in six calendar weeks. The SLA relates to applications which do not require the correction of errors in the application form, clearance of payment arrangements or enquiries to police forces for any relevant non-conviction information.

  The table shows the percentage of applications which were completed within and outside the SLA.

  

Period/Month
Standard/Enhanced
Basic


Within
Outside
Within
Outside


April 2002 to Mar 2003
92%
8%
99%
1%


April 2003 to Mar 2004
75%
25%
98%
2%


January 2004
30%
70%
93%
7%


February 2004
16%
84%
97%
3%


March 2004
29%
71%
95%
5%


April 2004
72%
28%
99%
1%


May 2004
47%
53%
97%
3%


June 2004
36%
64%
100%
0%

Disclosure Scotland

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed by Disclosure Scotland and how many were employed in each year since its establishment.

Hugh Henry: The number of staff (full time equivalents) employed at Disclosure Scotland, including staff employed directly by BT, at April each year since 2002 and at mid-July 2004, was as follows:

  April 2002, 47.5 (including 22 by BT).

  April 2003, 85.5 (including 38 by BT).

  April 2004, 193.5 (including 85 by BT).

  July 2004, 249 (including 96 by BT).

Disclosure Scotland

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to Disclosure Scotland were returned to the applicants due to errors in each of the last six months and in each year since its establishment, in each case expressed also as a percentage of the total number of applications in each category of disclosure.

Hugh Henry: Information relating to applications returned to applicants is only available from January 2004 and a breakdown by category of disclosure is not available. The available information is shown in the following table:

  

Month
Applications Returned
% Returned


January 2004
1,851
3%


February 2004
2,491
4%


March 2004
9,116
20%


April 2004
5,113
13%


May 2004
3,954
11%


June 2004
3,663
11%

Disclosure Scotland

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what percentage of applications to Disclosure Scotland no charge was levied in each of the last six months and in each year since its establishment.

Hugh Henry: Disclosure Scotland may only issue disclosures where the appropriate fee is paid. Scottish ministers have, however, made available funding to cover the cost of disclosures applied for by volunteers working unpaid with children and vulnerable adults. The following table shows, for each period, the actual number of applications involved and the number expressed as a percentage of the total number of applications received.

  

Period/Month
Number of Applications Made by Volunteers
As Per Cent of All Applications


April 2002 to Mar 2003
9,242
7%


April 2003 to Mar 2004
30,119
8%


January 2004
1,357
2%


February 2004
2,364
4%


March 2004
3,383
8%


April 2004
3,026
9%


May 2004
1,862
6%


June 2004
2786
9%

Disclosure Scotland

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many disclosure checks have been processed by Disclosure Scotland and what the average processing time has been in each week since 1 April 2004.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is set out in the following table. In all cases, the processing times quoted are average times and apply to applications which did not require the correction of errors in the application form, clearance of payment arrangements or enquiries to police forces for any relevant non-conviction information.

  

 
Week Ending
Disclosures Processed
Processing Time (Calendar Days)


Standard/Enhanced
Basic
Standard/Enhanced
Basic


4 April 2004
6,131
7,668
16
12


11 April 2004
2,977
4,021
13
9


18 April 2004
4,887
7,824
13
10


25 April 2004
4,992
6,557
10
18


2 May 2004
3,809
9,603
16
16


9 May 2004
2,099
4,323
14
14


16 May 2004
4,378
7,745
12
12


23 May 2004
2,937
8,713
12
12


30 May 2004
2,580
6,035
17
17


6 June 2004
3,508
4,284
18
18


13 June 2004
5,811
2,714
20
20


20 June 2004
4,864
2,386
18
18


27 June 2004
4,804
4,051
13
13


4 July 2004
5,988
4,413
19.5
19.5


11 July 2004
4,488
4,934
17
17


18 July 2004
9,306
2,935
13
13


25 July 2004
10,134
6,145
11
11

Disclosure Scotland

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8969 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 June 2004, why Disclosure Scotland’s helpline on 7 July 2004 provided, on answering incoming calls, a message stating that due to the increased volume of applications Disclosure Scotland would ask that if callers submitted their application less than two weeks ago for standard and enhanced disclosures or less than six weeks ago for basic disclosure they should call again.

Hugh Henry: The purpose of the helpline message was to inform callers and give them enough information about the status of their application to enable them to make a decision about whether or not they needed to speak to an operator. The periods quoted in the message related to the Service Level Agreement times which are 14 calendar days for enhanced and standard disclosures and six weeks for the basic disclosure applications.

Drug Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many problem drug users were registered in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.

Hugh Henry: There is no central register of drug users in Scotland. However, the Scottish Drug Misuse Database collects information on drug users at the point of their coming into contact with drug treatment services. This information can be found at www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org .

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many detoxification beds for drug misusers are available in each NHS board area.

Hugh Henry: The information in the following table has been collated from returns made by Drug and Alcohol Action Teams (DAATs) for 2002-03. Returns for 2003-04 are currently being submitted to the Executive for analysis.

  Many of these beds will be used for patients with drug and alcohol problems, and detoxification will not be the only treatment intervention provided. Some DAATs, particularly those serving rural and remote communities, will have included beds in hospitals (e.g. in acute psychiatric units) in their returns, while others may have concentrated on specialist drugs services. Some patients will also be referred to residential services outwith the area of their residence. Detoxification is also provided in community-based services.

  

NHS Board
Number of Beds in Residential Drug Services


Argyll and Clyde
44


Ayrshire and Arran
18


Borders
30


Dumfries and Galloway
0


Fife
0


Forth Valley
0


Grampian
39


Greater Glasgow
65


Highland
39


Lanarkshire
0


Lothian
56


Orkney
0


Shetland
0


Tayside
12


Western Isles
6

Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of schoolchildren has attained a standard grade in a foreign language in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Euan Robson: I have placed a table with the information requested in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33284).

Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have not attained any standard grades in English or mathematics on leaving school, in each local authority area, in each year since 1999.

Euan Robson: I have placed a table with the information requested in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33285).

Employment

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to ensure that local authorities safeguard and enhance their in-house pools of skilled tradespersons.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has taken a number of measures to ensure that across Scotland we have the best people for the job. This includes encouraging young people to work in trade occupations in local authorities, most notably through the Modern Apprenticeships and Skillseeker programmes.

  There are no specific proposals to ensure that local authorities safeguard or enhance in-house workforces in preference to those which might be employed under contract. The repeal of Compulsory Competitive Tendering and the introduction of the duty of best value, has given local authorities the freedom to make their own decisions on how best to deliver services and an obligation to make sure that those arrangements will provide a balance between quality and cost.

Enterprise

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to further empower local enterprise companies to assist retail businesses.

Mr Jim Wallace: Local enterprise companies provide a range of business support services which are available to businesses in their area. The extent of support available will depend on the opportunity presented and on the need for assistance. Information on assistance provided is an operational matter for the enterprise networks.

European Funding

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects that have applied for European funding have seen their application fall due to a lack of match funding from the Executive, broken down by area for each year since 1999.

Lewis Macdonald: A commitment for match funding for Structural Funds has to be in place from a project before any application is submitted and then subsequently approved.

  In addition, payments of Structural Funds are not made to projects in advance, but in arrears. Once a project has made a claim of eligible costs, the amount claimed against Structural Funds is provided back to the project as a re-imbursement.

External Relations

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7673 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 May 2004, whether it will give a breakdown of the £310,000 allocated for branding Scotland overseas.

Andy Kerr: The breakdown of the £310,000 spent on research and consultation on Scotland’s international image by the four companies employed by the Scottish Executive is as follows:

  Barkers Advertising £88,000; Union Advertising £102,190; TNS System 3/NFO £68,960; and Corporate Edge £4,200. Including VAT this totals £309,436.

  Details of actual charges (e.g. daily rates) made by individual companies are commercially sensitive, given that the companies concerned regularly compete for Executive business.

Further Education

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances payment of fees for HND courses can be deferred.

Mr Jim Wallace: Since academic year 2000-01, Scottish domiciled students undertaking full-time higher education courses in Scotland have been entitled to free tuition. The fees are paid on behalf of eligible students by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. They are not deferred and do not have to be repaid by the student. Students who have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the three years prior to the first day of the first academic year of the course, and who were ordinarily resident in Scotland on that day, are eligible for free tuition provided that they have not previously received support from public funds to undertake a course at the same academic level.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many planned admissions for in-patient and day-case treatment have been cancelled in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are many reasons why planned admissions to hospital for in-patient and day-case treatment may be cancelled, such as the absence of key staff on sick leave and/or an unexpected short term increase in the number of emergency admissions. When a patient’s admission is cancelled we expect NHSScotland to reschedule their admission as soon as possible, taking into account the clinical needs of the patient.

  Information on the number of planned admissions for inpatient and day case treatment (including non-surgical treatment) recorded as cancelled for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004 inclusive, by NHS board of residence is given in the table.

  NHS boards are expected to adopt best practice in managing admissions to reduce the incidence of cancellations and thus improve patients’ experience of waiting. Best practice advice was included in "Managing Waiting Times: A Good Practice Guide", issued to the NHS in 2003. In addition, there are concerns about the accuracy and quality of data recorded by hospitals on cancelled admissions. The Executive is working with NHS National Services Scotland to address these concerns through its strategic review of health and care statistics.

  NHSScotland – Cancellations Of Planned Admissions For Inpatient Or Day Case Treatment, By NHS Board: Years Ending 31 March 2000 To 2004P Inclusive

  

NHS Board
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04P


Argyll and Clyde
1,042
1,398
1,090
1,480
916


Ayrshire and Arran
461
374
323
276
243


Borders
437
458
348
328
261


Dumfries and Galloway
277
151
98
534
421


Fife
1,472
1,076
975
949
1,188


Forth Valley
446
588
730
604
930


Grampian
1,835
1,963
1,789
1,857
1,902


Greater Glasgow1
3,210
4,3191
5,740
4,6111
3,446


Highland
899
1,081
1,009
884
1,283


Lanarkshire
409
387
468
1,301
1,750


Lothian
2,238
2,575
2,213
2,362
2,409


Orkney
20
14
7
15
15


Shetland
25
17
34
9
2


Tayside
1,455
1,478
1,287
1,300
1,185


Western Isles
6
10
25
36
70


Scotland
14,232
15,889
16,136
16,546
16,021



  Source: ISD Scotland (Form ISD (1)).

  PProvisional.

  Note: Excludes data from the Southern General Hospital for years ending March 2001 and 2003.

Health Promotion

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4784 by Euan Robson on 9 January 2004, what progress it has made in making fresh, free drinking water available in all schools; what steps it has taken to implement European Council Directive 98/83/EC, and, in particular, what steps it is taking to monitor the quality of drinking water in all public buildings.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive remains fully committed to improving the health and diet of young people. As part of this goal, we are supporting schools in the implementation of the recommendations outlined in Hungry For Success, one of which is to ensure the availability of fresh drinking water at meal times and throughout the school day. The results of the recent school meals census indicate that 78% of schools are now providing fresh, chilled drinking water during the school day. The Executive will continue to monitor the implementation of Hungry for Success to ensure that by the end of 2004 (primary and special schools) and the end of 2006 (secondary schools) all of its recommendations have been fully implemented.

  The Executive has also taken significant steps to implement EC Directive 98/83 EC, and has transposed the greater part of its provisions through the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 2001. In addition, the Executive is developing a new protocol for the sampling and monitoring of water quality in public buildings, including schools, and intends to consult on draft regulations during 2005.

Historic Buildings

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned that the time taken by it and Historic Scotland to consider the issues relating to Castle Tioram may be causing, or contributing to, a risk of further deterioration to the condition of the castle.

Mr Frank McAveety: The responsibility for maintaining Castle Tioram rests with the owners. There are no applications relating to the castle currently before the Scottish Executive.

  As I stated in my letter to you of 24 May 2004, following a meeting between my officials and the castle's owner, and a meeting between me and my officials and the Clanranald Castle Tioram Trust and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, I have asked Historic Scotland to prepare a report on the castle’s current structural condition and to commission a proper Statement of Cultural Significance that addresses the gaps that were identified by the independent Inquiry Reporter in his Report. These are in hand.

Historic Buildings

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will agree to hold a local referendum inviting local residents to express their views on whether they support the plans for restoration, consolidation or taking no action in respect of Castle Tioram and, if so, whether it will invite the Electoral Reform Society to carry out such a referendum and what its reasons are for its position on the matter, and what regard it has for the views of the elected Scottish parliamentary representatives of the area on the issue.

Mr Frank McAveety: No. The owners' application for scheduled monument consent for the restoration of Castle Tioram has completed all the necessary statutory procedures, including being the subject of a public local inquiry held in the area over 29 days at which local residents were given an opportunity to express their views. The independent Inquiry Reporter recommended that consent be refused and that recommendation was accepted by Scottish ministers.

  I had a meeting in March this year with a group of Highland MSPs, who expressed views that the castle could play an active role in supporting the local economy. Following that meeting, my officials in Historic Scotland met the castle's owner. Since then, I have requested an update on the condition of the Castle and the commissioning of a proper Statement of Cultural Significance, which would address the gaps identified by the Inquiry Reporter. Any future decisions that require to be made by Scottish ministers will be informed by these reports.

Historic Buildings

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9319 by Mr Frank McAveety on 5 July 2004, whether the decision regarding the application for the restoration of Castle Tioram was taken by the minister or by Historic Scotland under delegated authority and, if the decision was taken by Historic Scotland, what publicity was given to this fact at the time the decision was made and subsequently.

Mr Frank McAveety: Historic Scotland is an Agency of the Scottish Executive and all functions it performs are carried out on behalf of the Scottish ministers.

  The decision to accept the independent inquiry reporter's recommendation that the application for scheduled monument consent in respect of Castle Tioram should be refused was taken under delegated powers.

  Since 2002, all recommendations made by inquiry reporters in respect of listed building, conservation area or scheduled monument consent applications have been decided by ministers.

Hospitals

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to replace the remaining Victorian buildings on the Glasgow Royal Infirmary campus and, if so, how this will affect any development at Stobhill Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: As part of NHS Greater Glasgow’s Acute Services Strategy, the Board plans to replace the remaining Victorian buildings on the Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) campus.

  NHS Greater Glasgow’s Capital Investment Strategy, which underpins the Acute Services Strategy, sets out how they will modernise and remodel their acute health care infrastructure by means of a four-phased approach to capital investment.

  Phase 1, which is already underway, sees the building of the new West of Scotland Cancer Centre and replacement of the majority of clinical facilities at Stobhill and the Victoria with two Ambulatory Care Hospitals. A second phase of investment sees the creation of a new southside hospital at the Southern General campus. The third phase of development, at the GRI campus, will create 400 new beds to replace the remaining clinical facilities at Stobhill and the remaining Victorian buildings at GRI. The final phase sees the building of new facilities and the substantial refurbishment of existing facilities on the Gartnavel General site.

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to encourage the NHS, the Ministry of Defence, Forest Enterprise and local authorities to release land for affordable housing.

Ms Margaret Curran: We are keen to encourage public bodies to release surplus land for affordable housing.

  In general, where public land is surplus to requirements, it can be sold on the open market in accordance with the public finance guidelines which would normally require it to be sold at market value. Local authorities can, however, seek consent to disposals at less than the best consideration from Scottish ministers including disposals to provide land for affordable housing. In handling sales of surplus land, the Forestry Commission Scotland provides a preferential opportunity for Registered Social Landlords, supported by Communities Scotland, to acquire land for affordable housing in rural areas.

  The release by public bodies of land for affordable housing is being given further consideration in the context of the review of affordable housing.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many warrants have been issued to individuals for non-appearance in court in each year since 1999, broken down by force area.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is not held centrally.

Marine Environment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum came into existence; how much funding for research it has (a) considered and (b) approved to date and, if no funding has been considered or approved to date, whether the Executive is satisfied with the forum’s performance and when the forum will commence fulfilling its intended function.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum (SARF) was formally established as a charitable company limited by guarantee on 28 April 2004. It has made good progress since establishment, member organisations have committed resources, both in cash and in kind, to SARF for research and have identified research priorities. An administrator responsible for managing SARF affairs on a day-to-day basis has recently been appointed. The administrator will shortly publish a call for research proposals based on member’s research priorities. It is anticipated that the call will be issued in August 2004 and will be available on the SARF website ( www.sarf.org.uk ) together with other recognised sources of research funding opportunities. The forum should provide an effective mechanism for funding targeted research, both independently and in collaboration with other funding bodies.

Mental Health

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical psychologists are employed in child and adolescent mental health teams in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the headcount and the whole time equivalent (WTE) of NHS employed clinical psychologists working in mental health with children, young people and families by NHS board area as at 30 September 2002. WTE adjusts headcount to take account of part-time working.

  

Health Board
Headcount as at 30 September 2002
WTE as at 30 September 2002


Argyll and Clyde
3
2


Ayrshire and Arran
6
5


Borders
4
2


Dumfries and Galloway
3
2


Fife
9
7


Forth Valley
5
4


Grampian
6
4


Greater Glasgow
21
16


Highland
3
3


Lanarkshire
1
1


Lothian
11
9


Orkney
0
0


Shetland
0
0


Tayside
3
2


Western Isles
0
0


Total
75
57

Mental Health

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychiatric beds are available for under 16-year-olds in each NHS board area.

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychiatric beds are available for 16 to 18-year-olds in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are currently 44 child and adolescent psychiatric beds available in Scotland. These are listed below by NHS board area, with details of the age range for which they cater. These beds can be accessed by NHS boards across Scotland.

  

Health Board
Beds
Age Group


Greater Glasgow - Yorkhill
9
Up to age 12


Greater Glasgow - Gartnavel
16
12 to 18


Lothian 
12
12 to 16+


Tayside
7
12 to 16 (16+ if in full time education)


Total
44

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the operating costs of each surgical patient have been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following tables show the average cost per case for a surgical inpatient and day case respectively for financial years 1998-99 to 2002-03, by NHS board.

  Table 1 – Inpatient Cost Per Case (£), by Health Board of Treatment and Financial Year

  

Health Board of Treatment
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03


Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)


Argyll and Clyde
1,386
1,442
1,468
1,686
1,672


Ayrshire and Arran
1,316
1,480
1,573
1,680
1,815


Borders
1,286
1,245
1,587
1,577
1,834


Dumfries and Galloway
1,193
1,182
1,376
1,377
1,645


Fife 
1,359
1,529
1,597
1,706
1,803


Forth Valley 
1,259
1,554
1,552
1,791
1,974


Grampian
1,542
1,524
1,704
1,872
2,004


Greater Glasgow
1,762
1,906
2,036
2,200
2,592


Highland 
1,393
1,547
1,330
1,474
1,565


Lanarkshire
1,472
1,482
1,550
1,828
1,824


Lothian
2,007
1,890
1,898
2,455
2,530


Orkney
1,361
1,546
1,854
1,943
1,955


Shetland
1,603
1,708
1,868
1,551
1,640


Tayside
1,785
1,887
1,957
2,022
2,308


Western Isles
1,888
2,069
2,574
2,564
2,815


Scotland 
1,608
1,681
1,762
1,972
2,152



  Source: "Scottish Health Service Costs" (years ended 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2003)

  Table 2 – Day Case Cost Per Case (£), by Health Board of Treatment and Financial Year

  

Health Board 
1998-1999
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2002
2002-2003


of Treatment
Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)
Cost per Case (£)


Argyll and Clyde
360
365
338
302
430


Ayrshire and Arran
234
284
290
329
385


Borders
327
361
673
804
1,255


Dumfries and Galloway
424
378
429
504
598


Fife 
403
361
432
491
552


Forth Valley 
386
294
315
315
552


Grampian
371
352
370
425
443


Greater Glasgow
327
335
358
376
444


Highland 
372
371
534
479
562


Lanarkshire
329
355
351
412
459


Lothian
468
434
445
671
632


Orkney
494
765
758
684
605


Shetland
707
788
903
1,045
865


Tayside
418
340
462
463
691


Western Isles
422
534
618
575
824


Scotland 
368
356
392
437
520



  Source: "Scottish Health Service Costs" (years ended 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2003).

National Health Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staffed beds there are in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9535 on 28 July 2004 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Police

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police hours, on average, are spent on court duty each week and what percentage of total police hours these figures represent, broken down by force area in each year since 1999.

Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for each police force. However, once the contract for prisoner escorting and court custody is fully rolled out, this will enable up to 300 police officers, who would previously have spent time in court, to be released for deployment to other operational duties.

Public Appointments

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, with reference to the report in the Sunday Mail on 27 June 2004 that a claim made to an industrial tribunal, based on allegations of religious and racial bias, against the Water Industry Commissioner, Alan Sutherland, brought by former employee, William Hetherington, has been settled by a payment to Mr Hetherington of "nearly £30,000", (a) the Executive will make a full statement on the matter, (b) the Executive’s policy of zero tolerance towards racial or religious discrimination, such as remarks and abuse, applies to those who hold senior public sector posts, such as that of the Water Industry Commissioner and, if so, whether it has sought any explanation from the commissioner regarding this matter and, if so, on what date or dates, (c) whether such explanation was (i) sought and (ii) obtained before the commissioner was reappointed, (d) what sum has been agreed to be paid to the employee, (e) who will be responsible for paying the agreed sum, (f) whether Mr Sutherland will be responsible for paying the agreed sum and, if not, what the reasons are for the taxpayer meeting the cost and whether it is Executive policy that the taxpayer should pay the consequences of any racial or religious bias by public sector management and (g) whether there is any legal means by which an individual can be held personally responsible for the consequences and, in particular, the financial consequences of racial or religious bias and what steps the Executive will take to address this position, including whether a clause to this effect can be inserted into the contract of employment of such employees.

Ross Finnie: The Executive expects the Water Industry Commissioner to act in accordance with his responsibilities under the law and the code of conduct under the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Act 2000. Ministers may terminate this appointment on a range of grounds including gross misconduct in the discharge of the appointee’s duties or conviction for a criminal offence. However, the allegations referred to above were neither the subject of a formal complaint made to the Executive nor were they substantiated through the appropriate due legal process. I understand the claim to the tribunal was withdrawn and a final settlement was agreed by both parties.

  Any costs involved in reaching such a settlement must be met within the commissioner’s budget. The Race Relations Act 1976 provides for penalties (including financial penalties) where an individual is discriminated against by another person.

Rail Network

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding the future maintenance of the Forth Rail Bridge.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Network Rail on a wide range of issues, including the Forth Rail Bridge. The cost of maintaining the bridge is currently an operational matter for Network Rail.

Rail Network

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to replace the Forth Rail Bridge.

Nicol Stephen: There are currently no plans for the replacement of the Forth Rail Bridge.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recommendations in the Enterprise and Culture Committee’s 6th Report 2004 (Session 2), Renewable Energy in Scotland , whether it will impose a moratorium on all locally-opposed wind farm applications until it sets out a new national strategic framework for wind farm applications.

Lewis Macdonald: No. The Committee’s Report provides no support for a moratorium on wind farm development.

Residential Care

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) residential, (b) nursing and (c) elderly mentally infirm care beds were available in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area and giving the total annual cost of providing the beds in each category.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested on care beds is shown in tables 1, 2 and 3. Figures are given for all care homes for older people and those with dementia. Most homes for elderly residents will cater for those who are mentally infirm.

  Tables 1 and 2 show the number of residential and nursing care beds for the elderly for 1999 and 2000. The information draws from two different surveys and there will be an element of double counting between them. Table 3 shows combined care beds for 2001 to 2003. This comes from the Scottish care home census which eliminates double counting.

  Table 4 shows the total net expenditure of funding care home residents from 1999 to 2003 by local authority.

  Table 1

  Residential Care Home beds for Older People by Local Authority (1999-2000)

  

Local Authority
1999
2000


Aberdeen City
604
551


Aberdeenshire
638
597


Angus
493
470


Argyll and Bute
498
465


Clackmannanshire
79
71


Dumfries and Galloway
615
668


Dundee City
402
408


East Ayrshire
333
291


East Dunbartonshire
130
104


East Lothian
270
242


East Renfrewshire
200
192


Edinburgh, City of
1,214
1,167


Eilean Siar
159
164


Falkirk
273
258


Fife
881
881


Glasgow City
1,711
1,601


Highland
837
779


Inverclyde
268
201


Midlothian
241
249


Moray
243
212


North Ayrshire
346
372


North Lanarkshire
530
498


Orkney Islands
96
97


Perth and Kinross
647
612


Renfrewshire
397
416


Scottish Borders
402
393


Shetland Islands
113
126


South Ayrshire
262
219


South Lanarkshire
517
735


Stirling
317
255


West Dunbartonshire
257
247


West Lothian
247
221


Scotland
14,220
13,762



  Source: SEHD R1 Census Return.

  Table 2

  Private Nursing Home beds by Local Authority (1999-2000)

  

Local Authority
1999
2000


Aberdeen City
1,208
1,225


Aberdeenshire
1,328
1,387


Angus
561
536


Argyll and Bute
285
256


Clackmannanshire
60
120


Dumfries and Galloway
604
569


Dundee City
653
654


East Ayrshire
739
710


East Dunbartonshire
355
419


East Lothian
545
515


East Renfrewshire
459
447


Edinburgh, City of
2,241
2,155


Eilean Siar
65
65


Falkirk
679
685


Fife
1,424
1,376


Glasgow City
2,940
2,947


Highland
1,357
1,320


Inverclyde
363
362


Midlothian
355
355


Moray
305
305


North Ayrshire
905
922


North Lanarkshire
1,207
1,285


Orkney Islands
0
0


Perth and Kinross
816
766


Renfrewshire
832
794


Scottish Borders
652
604


Shetland Islands
0
0


South Ayrshire
914
908


South Lanarkshire
1,847
1,798


Stirling
598
598


West Dunbartonshire
356
356


West Lothian
660
687


Scotland
25,313
25,126



  Source: ISD (S) 34 Census Return.

  Table 3

  Care Home Beds for Older People by Local Authority (2001-03)

  

Local Authority
2001
2002
2003 (Mar)
2003 (Sep)


Aberdeen City
1,729
1,688
1,604
1,609


Aberdeenshire
1,907
1,911
1,930
1,886


Angus
985
986
958
966


Argyll and Bute
762
769
794
785


Clackmannanshire
290
317
315
315


Dumfries and Galloway
1,267
1,255
1,254
1,250


Dundee City
1,076
1,021
996
1,015


East Ayrshire
837
890
845
836


East Dunbartonshire
578
557
561
561


East Lothian
735
724
696
691


East Renfrewshire
584
576
574
574


Edinburgh, City of
3,117
3,085
3,019
3,001


Eilean Siar
241
243
243
243


Falkirk
1,006
976
979
963


Fife
2,312
2,334
2,335
2,310


Glasgow City
4,343
4,321
4,304
4,280


Highland
1,993
1,986
1,960
1,954


Inverclyde
538
529
541
554


Midlothian
630
625
587
585


Moray
521
517
512
512


North Ayrshire
1,302
1,271
1,249
1,255


North Lanarkshire
1,693
1,708
1,708
1,711


Orkney Islands
101
97
102
98


Perth and Kinross
1,398
1,401
1,403
1,404


Renfrewshire
985
977
987
975


Scottish Borders
848
840
854
854


Shetland Islands
132
142
142
142


South Ayrshire
1,009
900
901
884


South Lanarkshire
2,524
2,524
2,570
2,589


Stirling
769
648
592
593


West Dunbartonshire
567
563
557
557


West Lothian
812
812
823
825


Scotland
37,591
37,193
36,895
36,777



  Source: SEHD SCHC Census.

  Table 4

  Total Net Expenditure (000) for Care Home Residents by Local Authority

  

Local Authority
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03


Aberdeen City
2,111
12,385
12,152
13,164
19,025


Aberdeenshire
8,737
9,608
10,043
10,924
17,989


Angus
7,470
7,283
6,112
7,074
11,426


Argyll and Bute
4,518
4,344
4,890
5,529
10,650


Clackmannanshire
1,509
2,466
1,559
2,155
2,933


Dumfries and Galloway
7,207
7,860
6,920
6,823
9,226


Dundee City
8,586
8,052
8,183
8,314
11,982


East Ayrshire
5,114
5,052
5,118
5,635
9,792


East Dunbartonshire
488
421
581
343
183


East Lothian
4,834
4,632
4,092
4,279
7,401


East Renfrewshire
2,947
3,234
3,412
3,408
10,042


Edinburgh, City of
13,565
12,826
13,626
14,820
35,509


Eilean Siar
3,551
3,705
3,726
3,948
4,644


Falkirk
7,791
7,614
7,704
8,291
8,061


Fife
15,541
15,404
15,743
16,594
26,042


Glasgow City
43,265
45,719
40,268
42,612
50,083


Highland
10,191
12,529
15,155
15,039
24,802


Inverclyde
3,694
4,330
4,287
4,733
7,178


Midlothian
2,952
3,496
3,719
3,623
5,915


Moray
4,110
4,396
5,078
4,397
6,248


North Ayrshire
5,481
5,928
6,217
7,655
11,183


North Lanarkshire
15,567
17,464
18,783
18,950
28,729


Orkney Islands
1,677
1,822
1,889
2,090
2,162


Perth and Kinross
4,133
5,866
5,249
7,172
12,440


Renfrewshire
7,742
6,801
8,107
8,490
11,893


Scottish Borders
5,702
5,289
5,033
5,313
5,702


Shetland Islands
1,217
1,066
1,301
1,485
1,694


South Ayrshire
5,908
5,634
5,502
5,456
10,442


South Lanarkshire
11,519
11,034
11,628
13,039
22,456


Stirling
2,929
3,321
3,449
2,457
5,664


West Dunbartonshire
6,231
6,553
6,230
7,289
7,721


West Lothian
4,908
5,298
4,928
5,251
2,664


Scotland
231,197
251,434
250,684
266,350
401,881



  Source: SE FCSD:ASD, SSLG - LFR03 Statistical Returns 1998-99 to 2002-03.

School Meals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) education authorities, (b) primary schools and (c) special schools have implemented recommendation 3 of Hungry for Success – A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland programme which states that the school nutrient standards for school lunches should be adopted and in place in all special schools and primary schools by December 2004 and in all secondary schools by December 2006.

Euan Robson: Implementation of the recommendations laid out in Hungry for Success , including the adoption of nutrient standards, is under way in primary, special and secondary schools across all education authorities in Scotland. The target is for the delivery of all Hungry for Success recommendations by the stated implementation dates (December 2004 for primary and special schools, and December 2006 for secondary schools). It is too early to provide exact details of progress with the implementation of each recommendation, as more data are due to be received in the autumn.

  The Executive has put in place a four-level monitoring process, including reporting against National Priority Action Fund measures, general and dedicated inspections in a number of schools over the next three years, a published report evaluating school meals provision and an independent evaluation of Hungry for Success subsequent to the 2006 secondary school deadline. This will ensure we deliver full implementation against the target dates.

School Meals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools have implemented recommendation 4 of the Hungry for Success – A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland programme, which states that school meal facilities should not advertise nor promote food or drink with a high fat or high sugar content, by removing any such promotional material and how many schools still carry advertisements for such food and drink.

Euan Robson: Implementation of the recommendations laid out in Hungry for Success , including tackling the promotion of unhealthy food and drink in schools, is under way in primary, special and secondary schools across Scotland. The target is for the delivery of all Hungry for Success recommendations by the stated implementation dates (December 2004 for primary and special schools, and December 2006 for secondary schools). It is too early to provide exact details of progress with the implementation of each recommendation, as more data are due to be received in the autumn.

  The Executive is committed to supporting schools in the promotion of healthy school meals, snacks and drinks, and to encouraging young people to adopt healthy eating habits which will stay with them for life.

School Meals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary schools have reviewed their ticket allocation practices in line with recommendation 9 of the Hungry for Success – A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland programme and what the results have been.

Euan Robson: Results from the recent school meals census (22 June 2004) indicate that of all mainstream primary schools, 26% have put in place an anonymised system for free school meals receipt.

  The target is for the delivery of all Hungry for Success recommendations by the stated implementation dates (December 2004 for primary and special schools, and December 2006 for secondary schools). It is too early to provide exact details of progress with the implementation of each recommendation, as more data are due to be received in the autumn.

School Meals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many education authorities have introduced incentive schemes to promote healthier choices and increase the take-up of school meals in line with recommendation 19 of Hungry for Success – A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland and what effect such schemes have had on choice and improved take-up.

Euan Robson: Implementation of the recommendations laid out in Hungry for Success , including incentive schemes to promote healthier choices, is under way in schools across all education authorities in Scotland. The target is for the delivery of all Hungry for Success recommendations by the stated implementation dates (December 2004 for primary and special schools, and December 2006 for secondary schools). It is too early to provide exact details of progress with the implementation of each recommendation, as more data are due to be received in the autumn.

School Meals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools have introduced fresh drinking water dispensers in line with the response by the Expert Panel on School Meals to the European Council Drinking Water Directive contained in its report Hungry for Success – A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland .

Euan Robson: Results from the recent school meals census (22 June 2004) indicate that 78% of all Scottish primary, special and secondary schools had fresh chilled water available throughout the school day.

  The target is for the delivery of all Hungry for Success recommendations by the stated implementation dates (December 2004 for primary and special schools, and December 2006 for secondary schools). It is too early to provide exact details of progress with the implementation of each recommendation, as more data are due to be received in the autumn.

Water Services

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many towns with populations over 1,000 in each local authority area have prohibited further housing development due to insufficient sewerage capacity.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: This information is not held in the format requested.

  However, as part of the work on Scottish Water’s investment programme to 2014, all local authorities were asked to predict future development requirements for their areas during that time. This identified a total of about 8,600 development sites, with the capacity to accommodate 230,000 houses, and a further 14,000 hectares for non-residential development across Scotland. Data indicates that approximately half of the sites so identified are currently affected by water or drainage constraints. This matter is addressed in the consultation paper Investing in Water Services 2006-2014 (Bib. number 33325), which was released on 20 July.

Water Supply

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on Scottish Water’s performance in respect of leakage from the public water supply in Dundee and the Tayside area.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken by Scottish Water to minimise water leakage in Dundee and the Tayside area following the issue of a drought order for the area.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for Scottish Water. The information requested is not held centrally.

Wildlife

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when and how the system of deer management groups was established and who is eligible to be members of such groups.

Ross Finnie: Deer Management Groups (DMGS) are voluntary bodies comprising estates and land owning interests who undertake collaborative management of deer in a specific geographic area. Their formation was promoted by the Red Deer Commission, now the Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS). Some were established as early as 1968; though various sporting estates, particularly in deer forests on Scottish islands, undertook collaborative forms of management prior to this.

  Membership is primarily made up of landowning/sporting interests who undertake deer management in the given geographic area. DMGs may invite Community Councils, local interest groups, the local police or statutory bodies such as the (DCS) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to meetings for advice or views but key management decisions are taken by the members. DCS actively encourages DMGs to be as open and inclusive as possible but as voluntary bodies, meetings and membership are the responsibility of individual groups.

Wildlife

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether representatives of deer management groups submit reports of their activities to ministers, Scottish Natural Heritage or the Deer Commission for Scotland and, if so, when.

Ross Finnie: No reports of DMG activities are officially submitted to ministers, Scottish Natural Heritage or the Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS). DCS representatives are, however, usually invited to attend DMG meetings where deer management issues are discussed.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the factual basis is for the conclusion in the report, Operations involving the Deer Commission for Scotland in Glenfeshie and Strathglass , that it is "not uncommon during traditional culling operations" for there to be delays of 15 minutes from hinds being wounded until they are despatched and what examples it can provide of where this has occurred.

Ross Finnie: The report noted that there had been delays of up to 15 minutes in respect of two of the deer culled and concluded that such delays, whilst unfortunate, were not uncommon during traditional culling operations. There are a number of relevant research findings. In particular, the Survey of permanent wound tracts in the carcases of culled wild deer in Scotland published by K Urquhart and I McKendrick (The Veterinary Record, 19 April 2003) identified that 14% of carcases had two or more bullet wounds and that in some cases the level was as high as 27%. Based on research carried out, the Burns Hunting Inquiry (into hunting with dogs, June 2000) records that of deer shot by stalking about 2% of wounded deer then escaped. The report also records (paragraph 6.36) that about 10% of deer required two or more shots and that a conservative estimate was that about half of the wounded deer escaped detection (copies of this document are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, Bib. number 28910).

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet representatives of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association to discuss the report, Operations involving the Deer Commission for Scotland in Glenfeshie and Strathglass .

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the relevant minister will meet the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association to discuss the way forward following its representations on the events involving deer at Glenfeshie and Strathglass.

Ross Finnie: When I wrote to the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) on 9 June providing an advance copy of the official report into the operations at Glenfeshie and Strathglass I asked that as a first step they reflect on the conclusions drawn by the report, my response and the steps which the Deer Commission for Scotland propose to take to follow up the concerns identified. Andrew Raven’s response, dated 16 July and copied to all key industry bodies including SGA, has now been received and I am considering its contents. I would look to SGA and the wider deer industry to do likewise.

Wildlife

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to its consultation paper, Technical Amendments to the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994: A Consultation Paper on Amendments to the Habitats Regulations, when it will announce the result of the consultation and when it expects to publish the proposed regulations.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is still giving consideration to the consultation responses relating to the amendments to the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 proposed in the consultation paper to ensure consistency between the Regulations and the provisions of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. It is my intention to bring forward amendments to these regulations later this year.

Young Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences in each year since 1999 have been committed by juveniles under (a) eight and (b) 12 in each police force area, broken down by category of offence.

Euan Robson: The information requested is not available centrally. I have asked Alan Miller, Principal Reporter of the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration, to respond. His observations are as follows:

  As the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland is eight years, it is not possible for a child under eight years to be referred to the Reporter on offence grounds.

  The information is not available in the format requested by the member. Information on children referred to the Children’s Reporter on offence grounds is collated and published by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) in its Annual Reports (copies of which have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre with the following Bib. numbers:).

  1997-98 – 18997

  1998-99 – 6161

  1999-2000 – 18780

  2000-01 – 20128

  2001-02 – 26838

  2002-03 – 30751.

  Data for 2003-04 will be available later this year. The SCRA is presently enhancing its management information systems and future statistical reports will have the option of being broken down by local authority area.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many people have been employed in the construction of the new parliament building, broken down by profession and trade.

George Reid: The information is not held in the format requested. However, there are figures available from the Construction Managers, Bovis Lend Lease, showing the numbers on site at Holyrood on any given day, identified by employer. An example from Friday, 9 July 2004, showing employers in alphabetical order, is given below.

  

Employer
No Of People On Site On 9/7/04


ADT Fire & Security
10


Balmoral Stone (Stonework)
1


Barr & Wray (Landscaping Features)
1


Baydale Architectural Metals
2


Bovis Lend Lease (Construction Managers)
32


Cairn Property Consultants (Building Control)
1


Canteen Staff
8


Cleaning Staff
10


Clyde Valley Drilling (Coring Works)
2


Commtech Ltd (Commissioning Management)
11


Coverite Ltd (Roofing)
25


DCL
1


Drawn Metal Ltd (Windows)
58


EMBT/RMJM (Architects)
20


Forth Electrical Services (Electrical Works)
27


Fountain Support Services (Landscaping)
1


G H Cook (Joinery)
5


Gerry Rogers (General Labouring)
57


Hewden Ltd
1


Holyrood Project Team (HPT)
6


Honeywell Ltd (Security/Building Management)
8


HPT Visitors
8


Lothian & Borders Police
4


Lyndon Scaffolding
32


Madden Steel Erectors
10


Mero Ltd (Specialis Glazing)
54


Mitie Olscot Ltd (Cleaning)
16


Mivan Ltd (Fit-Out Works)
226


Ogilvie Construction (General Builderswork)
12


O’Rourke Scotland (Substructure, Frame, Landscaping)
118


Orr Fire Protection Ltd
2


Otis Lifts
1


Oak Industrial Ltd (Cleaning)
10


R D Group (Ceilings)
3


Rotary Group (Electrical, Mechanical & Plumbing)
32


Rowen Ltd
1


Scobie McIntosh Ltd (Catering Equipment) 
4


Scottish Nursing
3


Scottish Parliament
39


Select Plant Hire (Cranes)
8


Skanska Ltd (Mechanical & Plumbing)
3


Space Decks Ltd (Rooflights)
9


Stiell Networks (Cabling)
6


Telewest Broadband
6


Thomson Broadcast (Radio/TV Distribution)
1


Television Systems Ltd
1


Ultimate Finishing Systems (Fit-Out Works)
21


Vetter UK (Flooring)
24


Visitors
30


Watson Stonecraft (Stonework)
41


Wingate Ltd (Electrical Works)
8


Wood & Wood Ltd (Signage)
2


Total
1,022

Holyrood Project

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what consultant was retained to advise on the installation of air-conditioning in the new Parliament building.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : The Services Engineers for the Holyrood project, RMJM (Scotland) Limited, are responsible for the design of all mechanical and electrical services, of which air conditioning is one element.

Holyrood Project

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what measures were taken to ensure that the consultant advising on the installation of air-conditioning in the new Parliament building was aware of Her Majesty’s Government’s policy on the use of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in air-conditioning and what measures were taken by the consultant to source practical and safe alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon-based air-conditioning.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The User Brief for the new Parliament building required high environmental standards and efficiency. Consequently, the building is, predominately, naturally cooled using the structure of the building as a heat sink and utilising natural elements, such as rain water, as a cooling mechanism. Where mechanical cooling has been necessary, the design has complied in full with the Building Technical Standards, environmental standards and recent legislation outlawing the use of refrigerant materials such as hydroflourocarbons. Refrigerants used are minimal ozone depleting, such as R 407C. It should be noted that the Parliament complex has been subject to an Environmental Assessment by the Building Research Establishment (BREEAM) and was rated as "Excellent" – the highest possible category.

Holyrood Project

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether an installer capable of installing Not-in-Kind air-conditioning was invited to tender for the air-conditioning contract for the new Parliament building.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): : The specifications for the Mechanical and Plumbing Trade Packages, compiled by RMJM (Scotland) Limited, did not name any particular manufacturer or brand, in respect of the air conditioning element. It is therefore not known if any, or all, of the contractors invited to tender were capable of installing "Not-in-Kind air conditioning".